Thomas shaw



UN ITED STATES PATENT 01u-long` I THOMAS SHAW, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND L. N. BROGNARD.

IMPROVEMENT IN FURNACES FOR BURNING COAL-OIL 0R OTHER HYDROCARBON FLUIDS UNDE STEAM-GENERATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 28,539, dated May 29, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS SHAW, of the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Mode of Employing Equitable Fluids as a Fuel for Generating Steam, and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ot' the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists in using coal-oil or any other ignitible uid as a fuel for generating steam by discharging it into the firechamber of a steam-boiler and onto a body of ignited coal or its equivalent through a pipe surrounded by the water contained in the boiler, substantially as described hereinafter; also, in a perforated tube anda box communicating therewith, both being arranged in respect to the re-box in the manner set forth f hereinafter, so as to admit air saturated with Y freely therefrom, and yet prevent the escape of noxious vapors from thesaid reservoir.

In order to enable others to practice my invention, I will now proceed to describe the manner in which I carry it into effect.

On reference to the accompanying drawings,

which form a part of this'speciication, Figure lis a sectional view of a steam-boiler with :my improved apparatus for generating steam yby the use of ignitible fluids as a fluel; Fig.

2, an end View of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3, a vertical transverse section on the line l 2, Fig. 1.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A is the body' of an ordinary steam-boiler of the form similar to those used in connection with locomotive-engines. B is the outer casing of the fire-box; O, the inner casing of the same; D, the longitudinal ue communicating with the smoke-box E, the latter being furnished with the usual chimney, F.

In any convenient position in the neighborl hood of the boiler, and at a proper height above the same, is situated a reservoir, G, containing coal-oil or other ignitible duid to be used as a fuel for generating steam.

The in terior of the fire-box is furnished with a grate of the peculiar construction described hereinafter, and in front of this grate is a door, a,for the admission of coal or its equivalent to be used in connection with the ignitible fluid. Above this grate. is a tube, H, perforated with holes on the under side, the closed end of this tube being close to the back of the the iirechamber, and the opposite end passing both through the plates and water-space of the fire-box.

On the outside of the latter the tube is connected to and communicates with the box or chamber h, which is closed on all sides, with the exception of a small opening, i, at the top. Above the tube H is another and larger tube, I, extending across the fire-chamber and forming a communication between the water-spaces on the front and back of the fire-box. Within this tube is a pipe, J, the bent end of which is connected to the lower end of the tube I, at which point it communicates with the interior of the fire-chamber. This pipe J passes through the front of the lire-box and upward t0 the reservoir G, and is furnished with any suitable cock or valve, m, for regulating the flow of the ignitible duid into the fire-chamber.

On each side of the tire-grate, and extending the entire length of the same, are two bars or plates, im, which are of such a depth that the fuel will not obstruct the opening between them.

Air is admitted to the reservoir G through I a pipe, K, which is furnished at its bent outer end with a valve opening upward and closing vthe orifice for the admission of air at all times,

excepting when the flow of iiuid from the reservoir causes a partial vacuum, thus preventing the escape of offensive vapors.

It should be understood that the coal or other fuel on the grate-bars is not used directly as a means of generating steam, but as a heated surface for the conversion of the fluid intogas and igniting the same, so that as the iiuid passing into the nre-chamber through the pipe J drops onto the fuel a iiame of intense heat is generated, which imparts to the plates of the fire-box and flue the necessary heat for generating steam.

It will be observed that the portion of th pipe J Within the boiler is surrounded with a body of Water, which maintains the interior of the pipe at a uniform temperature; but for this arrangement the fluid would be converted into gas before it escaped from the pipe,whieh would thus act as a retort and would speedily become clogged With earbonaceous mat-ter. 'The air passing into the box H through the opening i becomes heated, and in a heated state passes along the tube H and through the perforations of the latter in small forciblejets into the tire-box, thereby rendering the coinbustion ofthe gases more perfect and increasing the intensity of the heat.

Ignitible uids may be deposited in the box 71., so that the air as it passes into the box and thence along the pipe becomes saturated with the vapors generated in the box by the heat of the boiler, and passing through the perforations into thetre-ehamber is ignited and adds to the heat.

A plentiful supply of oxygen is necessary for the perfect combustion of the gas, and this supply is furnished by thevplates or bars n n,

through which the air passes freely into the hre-chamber Without being interrupted by the fuel on the grate-bars.

It will be evident that different forms of boilers Will demand different arrangements of the above-described apparatus, which may be varied in form Without any alteration in the result.

Without confining myself, therefore, to the precise arrangement or construction of parts herein described, I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The conveying of ignitible fluids to the interior of the nre-chamber by means of a pipe surrounded by Water Within the boiler, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. Saturating the air with vapors of afluid, by means of the perforated tube H and its box h, when arranged in respect to the tirechamber of the steam-boiler, substantially as set forth.

3. The .bars n n, arranged in respect to the grate-bars and fire-chamber, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony WhereofI have signed my naine to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS SHAV.

Witnesses:

HENRY HoWsoN, CHARLES D. FREEMAN. 

